By Jonty Ralphsmith
Doveton wingman Ricky Johnson took out the Southern Football Netball League Bennett Medal last Wednesday as the best and fairest player in the Division 2 senior competition.
Johnson finished the season with 26 votes, one ahead of Highett’s Jacob Duscher, and six ahead of Endeavour Hills midfielder John Rafferty.
The medal is a testament to the diminutive ball magnet’s work ethic and adaptability across the past two seasons.
Johnson has surrendered local cricket to focus his attention in summer on building his fitness base.
Thrice per week in preseason, he would run up to 10 kilometres around Robinson Reserve – Doveton’s home ground.
“I got myself fit a couple of years ago and was playing better footy than what I had been which drove me to get the best out of myself.
“Once you start playing good footy, you see yourself achieving more so I keep going.
“I definitely enjoy the mental side of being fit and it helps put you in a good space off the field and it’s helped me play good footy.”
The tremendous will to maximise his training hasn’t gone unnoticed around Doveton, with coach Matt Stapleton dubbing him the “hardest worker on the training track and away from footy.”
It was Stapleton who masterminded Johnson’spositional switch in 2024.
While he thrived last season, named in the best in 15 of his 21 matches, Johnson was thrown around positionally which at times unsettled his footy.
The coach planned to put Johnson on the wing from preseason.
“He has tremendous running ability and can find the ball which was clearly evident this year,” Stapleton said.
“His ability to kick a goal, go back and help the defence and courageously put his body in positions at times that someone at his size doesn’t need to do is a credit to him.”
Johnson’s best form came late in the season as Doveton fell two wins short of a premiership, but an early season hiccup made amplified the magnificence of his consistency.
A concussion in preseason caused Johnson to miss multiple practice matches, robbing him of crucial match practice in a position he had played no more than a handful of times in his life.
Regardless, Johnson built into the season perfectly and quickly brought his trademark tenacity, endurance and efficiency to the outside role.
“It was about backing myself and trusting what (coach Matt Stapleton) had in place for me and I was big on trying to help the defence rather than focussing on offence and I feel like I did that well,” Johnson said.
“Early on, I thought I was a five foot inside mid but he’s seen something and it worked out better in the end because we had a solid midfield who could win the hard balls and flick it out to me and it’s paid off.”
Top five per club
Doveton
Ricky Johnson – 26 votes
Dylan Chapman – 12 votes
Harley Primrose – 12 votes
Deakyn Smith – 8 votes
Lochie Conboy – 6 votes
Max Sheppard – 6 votes
Endeavour Hills
John Rafferty – 20 votes
Liam Hasler – 15 votes
Ryan Johnson – 5 votes
Luke Peters – 4 votes
Ben Swift – 4 votes
Hampton Park
Jayden Weichard – 8 votes
Jye King – 6 votes
Trent Thomas – 6 votes
Jackson Dalton – 5 votes
Nathan Langley – 5 votes
